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Arc International (tableware)
Encyclopedia
Arc International is a French
manufacturer and distributor of household goods
. The company was established in Arques, Pas-de-Calais
, where it is still headquartered, as a glass
-making firm under the name Verrerie des Sept Ecluses in 1825. In 1892 the name was changed to Verrerie Cristallerie d'Arques, and after a series of acquisitions in the 1990s the group was renamed in 2000 to the current name. It is the leading manufacturer of crystal and glassware in the world. It is privately held and has been owned by members of the Durand family since 1916. Arc International currently licenses the Pyrex
brand of cookware for sale in the European Union. Competitors include Lenox Group, World Kitchen
and Waterford Wedgwood
.
The company reported 16,500 employees and gross sales of €1.4 billion in 2006, reinvesting 3% of its turnover into research and development
.
in northern France
by Alexander des Lyons de Noircarm, who began production by manufacturing glass storage containers known as "dame-jeanne" (demijohns
in English), which were popular at that time. In subsequent years, the company diversified into consumer cooking and dining glassware. By the 1960s, the company had mastered the process of manufacturing stemware
and other finer glassware products. One of Arc's signature products is the thick-walled ten-sided "working glasses" that were a workhorse in French kitchens after their introduction in 1978.
From the 1897 onwards, the company was dominated by the Durand family, who eventually purchased the firm entirely in 1926.
To this day, the family continues to be the sole proprietors. The firm adopted a number of practices that positioned it to become one of Europe's leading mass production glassmakers. Examples include the usage of tank furnaces (1933), the construction of modern glass presses
(1947), the use of automatic blowing machines (1950), the usage of industrial tempering
(1963) and the automation of lead crystal production (1968).
Luminarc is the oldest brand currently sold by Arc, launched in 1948.
in 1968), Salviati (acquired in Italy in 1999), Mikasa (acquired from US in 2000), Pyrex
(under license in Europe from World Kitchen
since 2005) and the fine crystal brand J. G. Durand.
The Mikasa Inc. brand was sold by Arc International and acquired by Lifetime Brands in 2008 for an undisclosed amount.
in promotion of the 2010 release of the movie Shrek Forever After
were recalled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
on June 4, 2010. The recall encompassed about 12 million glasses distributed to all McDonald's restaurants in the USA. The recall specified that due to concerns over cadmium
levels in paint pigment
s, all the affected promotional glassware was subject to the recall.
Arc International Americas (the subsidiary of Arc that manufactured the glassware) asserted in a statement that the glassware " ... meet the highest standards of quality and safety." McDonald's in their own press release stated that the glassware was tested by a 3rd party laboratory, and that the glassware was " ... determined to be in compliance with all applicable federal and state requirements.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
manufacturer and distributor of household goods
Household goods
Household goods are goods and products used within households. They are the tangible and movable personal property placed in the living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, family rooms, great rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, recreation rooms, hallways, attics, and basements and other rooms of a...
. The company was established in Arques, Pas-de-Calais
Arques, Pas-de-Calais
Arques is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France.-Geography:Arques is situated in the middle of the region 40 km from Calais and Dunkerque, and 45 km from Boulogne-sur-Mer. It lies on the border between the departments of Pas-de-Calais and Nord.The town is crossed by...
, where it is still headquartered, as a glass
Glass
Glass is an amorphous solid material. Glasses are typically brittle and optically transparent.The most familiar type of glass, used for centuries in windows and drinking vessels, is soda-lime glass, composed of about 75% silica plus Na2O, CaO, and several minor additives...
-making firm under the name Verrerie des Sept Ecluses in 1825. In 1892 the name was changed to Verrerie Cristallerie d'Arques, and after a series of acquisitions in the 1990s the group was renamed in 2000 to the current name. It is the leading manufacturer of crystal and glassware in the world. It is privately held and has been owned by members of the Durand family since 1916. Arc International currently licenses the Pyrex
Pyrex
Pyrex is a brand name for glassware, introduced by Corning Incorporated in 1915.Originally, Pyrex was made from borosilicate glass. In the 1940s the composition was changed for some products to tempered soda-lime glass, which is the most common form of glass used in glass bakeware in the US and has...
brand of cookware for sale in the European Union. Competitors include Lenox Group, World Kitchen
World Kitchen
World Kitchen, LLC is a kitchenware products maker and distributor based in Rosemont, Illinois. The company began as the Corning Consumer Products division of glassmaker Corning.-History:The division was spun off from Corning in 1998 and purchased by Borden...
and Waterford Wedgwood
Waterford Wedgwood
Waterford Wedgwood plc is the former holding entity for a group of companies headquartered in Ireland, which specialised in the manufacture of high quality china, porcelain and glass. The group was dominated by Tony O'Reilly and his immediate family, and the family of Mr. O'Reilly's second wife,...
.
The company reported 16,500 employees and gross sales of €1.4 billion in 2006, reinvesting 3% of its turnover into research and development
Research and development
The phrase research and development , according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers to "creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of...
.
History
Arc International was established in 1825 in the village of ArquesArques
Arques may refer to the following places in France:* Arques, Aude, in the Aude département* Arques, Aveyron, in the Aveyron département* Arques, Pas-de-Calais, in the Pas-de-Calais département...
in northern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
by Alexander des Lyons de Noircarm, who began production by manufacturing glass storage containers known as "dame-jeanne" (demijohns
Carboy
A carboy is a rigid container with a typical capacity of 5 to 15 gallons . Carboys are primarily used for transporting fluids, often water or chemicals.They are also used for in-home fermentation of beverages, often wine.-Brewing:...
in English), which were popular at that time. In subsequent years, the company diversified into consumer cooking and dining glassware. By the 1960s, the company had mastered the process of manufacturing stemware
Stemware
Stemware is drinkware that stands on stems above a base. It is usually made from glass, but may be made from ceramics or metals.Stemware includes:* Wine glasses* Champagne flutes* Chalices and goblets...
and other finer glassware products. One of Arc's signature products is the thick-walled ten-sided "working glasses" that were a workhorse in French kitchens after their introduction in 1978.
From the 1897 onwards, the company was dominated by the Durand family, who eventually purchased the firm entirely in 1926.
To this day, the family continues to be the sole proprietors. The firm adopted a number of practices that positioned it to become one of Europe's leading mass production glassmakers. Examples include the usage of tank furnaces (1933), the construction of modern glass presses
Pressed glass
Pressed glass is a form of glass made using a plunger to press molten glass into a mold. It was first patented by American inventor John P. Bakewell in 1825 to make knobs for furniture....
(1947), the use of automatic blowing machines (1950), the usage of industrial tempering
Tempering
Tempering is a heat treatment technique for metals, alloys and glass. In steels, tempering is done to "toughen" the metal by transforming brittle martensite or bainite into a combination of ferrite and cementite or sometimes Tempered martensite...
(1963) and the automation of lead crystal production (1968).
Luminarc
Brands
Brands under the Arc group include its own Luminarc (launched in 1948), Arcoroc (launched in 1963 for use in restaurant industry), Cristal d'Arques (launched in Europe in 1968), Longchamps (launched in the USUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1968), Salviati (acquired in Italy in 1999), Mikasa (acquired from US in 2000), Pyrex
Pyrex
Pyrex is a brand name for glassware, introduced by Corning Incorporated in 1915.Originally, Pyrex was made from borosilicate glass. In the 1940s the composition was changed for some products to tempered soda-lime glass, which is the most common form of glass used in glass bakeware in the US and has...
(under license in Europe from World Kitchen
World Kitchen
World Kitchen, LLC is a kitchenware products maker and distributor based in Rosemont, Illinois. The company began as the Corning Consumer Products division of glassmaker Corning.-History:The division was spun off from Corning in 1998 and purchased by Borden...
since 2005) and the fine crystal brand J. G. Durand.
The Mikasa Inc. brand was sold by Arc International and acquired by Lifetime Brands in 2008 for an undisclosed amount.
Recall
Arc-manufactured 16oz glasses used by McDonald'sMcDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
in promotion of the 2010 release of the movie Shrek Forever After
Shrek Forever After
Shrek Forever After, taglined as The Final Chapter, is a 2010 animated fantasy-comedy film, and the fourth and final installment in the Shrek film series, produced by DreamWorks Animation. The film was released by Paramount Pictures in cinemas on May 20, 2010 in Russia, and on May 21 in the United...
were recalled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Consumer Product Safety Commission
The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission is an independent agency of the United States government created in 1972 through the Consumer Product Safety Act to protect "against unreasonable risks of injuries associated with consumer products." The CPSC is an independent agency that does...
on June 4, 2010. The recall encompassed about 12 million glasses distributed to all McDonald's restaurants in the USA. The recall specified that due to concerns over cadmium
Cadmium
Cadmium is a chemical element with the symbol Cd and atomic number 48. This soft, bluish-white metal is chemically similar to the two other stable metals in group 12, zinc and mercury. Similar to zinc, it prefers oxidation state +2 in most of its compounds and similar to mercury it shows a low...
levels in paint pigment
Pigment
A pigment is a material that changes the color of reflected or transmitted light as the result of wavelength-selective absorption. This physical process differs from fluorescence, phosphorescence, and other forms of luminescence, in which a material emits light.Many materials selectively absorb...
s, all the affected promotional glassware was subject to the recall.
Arc International Americas (the subsidiary of Arc that manufactured the glassware) asserted in a statement that the glassware " ... meet the highest standards of quality and safety." McDonald's in their own press release stated that the glassware was tested by a 3rd party laboratory, and that the glassware was " ... determined to be in compliance with all applicable federal and state requirements.